1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) apparatus with a reduced thickness, and more specifically, to an LCD apparatus with no control circuit board installed onto the back of the back light unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As technology advances, computers are extensively utilized by home users as well as within companies. With the coming of age of multimedia technology, personal computers now have exceptional graphical capabilities, making a monitor one of the most important components of a personal computer system.
Currently, the most popular types of monitors are Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors and LCD monitors. CRT monitors employ electron beams to excite fluorescent material to generate an image. Accordingly, CRT monitors have high power consumption for generating the electron beams, and require a large volume to accommodate the CRT itself. Monitors of larger screen size require larger bodies to accommodate the CRTs, and this often leads to an inconvenience for the user. In addition, CRT monitors generate electromagnetic radiation when displaying images and this affects users health. Due to the aforementioned issues, LCD monitors are gradually becoming embraced by computer users as mainstream products, and as replacements for CRT monitors. Not only do LCD monitors use less space, they also consume less power. Furthermore, LCD monitors do not generate enough electromagnetic radiation to be a user health concern.
Among various types of LCD apparatuses, direct-type LCD apparatuses, such as direct-type LCD monitors and televisions, are broadly used as large-size display.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which illustrates the constituent components of a well-known direct-type LCD monitor 10. The LCD monitor 10 comprises an upper frame 12 and a lower frame 24 which hold in place the internal components of the LCD monitor 10. The internal components comprise an LCD panel 14 for displaying images, a diffuser 18 to equalize light, a light tube array 20 to generate white light, and a reflecting plate 22 to reflect the light generated by the light tube array 20. A stand assembly 25 is also included to support the LCD monitor 10. When the light emitted by the light tube array 20 shines directly onto the diffuser 18 or is reflected by the reflecting plate 22 before reaching the diffuser 18, the diffuser 18 equalizes the light so that the light provides uniform illumination to the LCD panel 14.
FIG. 2 shows the back of the reflecting plate 22 shown in FIG. 1. On the back of the reflecting plate 22 are an X-board 30 and a Y-board 32 electrically connected to the LCD panel 14, an analog-to-digital converter (A/D board) 34 to convert analog signals into digital signals, a control board 35 connected to X-board 30 and Y-board 32, and a connector 36 connected to the A/D board 34. The connector 36 receives signals sent from an imaging device such as a computer video card. The signals are then converted to digital signals via the A/D board 34 that are then fed into the control board 35. The control board 35 generates corresponding signals for the X-board 30 and the Y-board 32. The X-board 30 and the Y-board 32 then generate corresponding control signals for the LCD panel 14 to display images.
In those direct-type LCD apparatuses, a light tube array 20 illuminates the display panel 14 with no bulky light guide plate and hence the weight of the apparatuses is reduced. However, employing the light tube array 20 requires enough space for diffusion of the light, which rules out the possibility of further slimming direct-type LCD apparatuses in this regard. Besides, existing technology is implemented in such a way that the control elements are installed between reflecting plate 22 and lower frame 24, so that the thickness of the LCD apparatus is increased, which causes inconveniences in using and installing.
It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a display apparatus with reduced thickness to solve the abovementioned problems of the prior art.
The first preferred embodiment of the claimed invention includes a display apparatus, which comprises an upper frame, a display panel installed in the upper frame to display images, a light tube array behind the display panel to generate light, a reflecting plate disposed behind the light tube array to reflect the light generated by the light tube array, and a supporting frame installed on the reflecting plate to support the display panel. The reflecting plate comprises a main portion and at least one side portion, each the of side portions tilted with respect to the main portion. The display apparatus also comprises a circuit board attached to at least one side portion of the reflecting plate and installed within the gap between the side portion of the reflecting plate and the supporting frame in order to control the operation of the display apparatus.
The second preferred embodiment of the claimed invention includes an display apparatus, which comprises an upper frame, a display panel installed inside the upper frame for displaying images, an array of light tubes disposed behind the display panel for generating light, a reflecting sheet positioned behind the array of light tubes for reflecting light generated by the array of light tubes, a supporting plate having a main portion and at least one side portion being tilted with respect to the main portion, a supporting frame positioned onto the main portion of the supporting plate for supporting the display panel, and a circuit board for controlling operations of the display apparatus. The main portion of the supporting plate is used for supporting the reflecting sheet. The supporting frame has a plurality of sub-frames, and at least one of the sub-frames is tilted with respect to the main portion of the supporting plate and is separated from the side portion of the supporting plate by a gap. The circuit board is installed within the gap.
The third preferred embodiment of the claimed invention includes an display apparatus, which comprises an upper frame, a display panel installed inside the upper frame to display images, a light tube array behind the display panel to generate light, a reflecting plate placed at the back of the light tube array to reflect the light generated by the light tube array, a supporting frame installed on the reflecting plate to support the display panel, and a lower frame. The reflecting plate comprises a main portion and at least one side portion, each the of side portions tilted with respect to the main portion. The display apparatus also comprises a circuit board attached to at least one side-portion of the reflecting plate and installed within the gap between the side portion of the reflecting plate and the lower frame in order to control the operation of the display apparatus.
The fourth preferred embodiment of the claimed invention includes andisplay apparatus, which comprises an upper frame, a display panel installed inside the upper frame for displaying images, an array of light tubes disposed behind the display panel for generating light, a reflecting sheet positioned behind the array of light tubes for reflecting light generated by the array of light tubes, a supporting plate having a main portion and at least one side portion being tilted with respect to the main portion, a supporting frame positioned onto the main portion of the supporting plate for supporting the display panel, a lower frame, and a circuit board for controlling operations of the display apparatus. The main portion of the supporting plate is used for supporting the reflecting sheet. The supporting frame has a plurality of sub-frames, and at least one of the sub-frames is tilted with respect to the main portion of the supporting plate. The circuit board is installed onto at least one side portion of the supporting plate and within the gap between the side porting of the supporting plate and the lower frame.
It is an advantage of the claimed invention, in which no circuit board is installed on the back side of the direct-type back light unit, such that the display apparatus has a simplified frame structure and is therefore slimmer and more convenient to use. It is a further advantage of the claimed invention that production cost of the display apparatus is greatly reduced.
These and other objectives of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.